Railroad-car spring



A. M. De HART.

Car Spring.

Patented May 4, 1858.

M W i 7/// Wk/VH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' A. M. DE HART, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-CAR SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,148, dated May 4, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW M. DE HART, of Reading, Berks county,Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Car Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear,.and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment of loosehorizontal, and perpendicular semi-elliptic plate springs within a box,the ends of the horizontal springs resting against, and near thecenters, of the perpendicular springs, the weight of the car pressingupon the horizontal springs as will be hereinafter described.

In order that those skilled in the art may use and manufacture myinvention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the annexed drawings making a part of this specification Figure 1 isa section View showing the internal arrangement of the box. Fig. 2 is atop View of the press block and connecting rod. Fig. 3 is a top View ofthe box.

In Fig. 1, C represents a cast iron box, in which the springs arecontained, said box being oblong and rectilinear, as seen in thedrawing.

(0) is the bottom of the box on which thehorizontal springs rest.

(a. a a) are semi-elliptic plate springs made of sheet steel, cut tosuit the size of the box and lying horizontally on the bottom of the boxin the position shown in the drawing Fig. 1. (b b) are also semiellipticplate springs arranged perpendicularly on two sides of the box at theends of springs (a, a, a). I

D, is a press block winch rests on springs (a a a).

E, is a rod connecting block D, with the car. This block and rod workingin the box are guided and kept in place by means of the sides of thesaid box. It will be seen that the ends of the springs (Z) 6) pressagainst the sides of the box C. I

In the operation of this spring, the springs (b 2)) being placed inposition on the sides of the box as seen in a 1: erpendicular manner,and the springs (a, a, a,) being placed horizontally on the bottom ofthe box, the press block D bearing the weight of the car, pressesdirectly down upon the springs (a, a, (6,). These springs lengthen asthe weight is placed upon them and their ends, press against the centersof the springs (b 6). These springs also give in due proportion, andbear their proportion of the weight and spring.

The peculiar advantages resulting from this mode of forming springs is,that the steel being confined and arranged as seen in this box hasgreater strength and at-the same time suflicient elasticity. I amenabled by this arrangement to furnish car springs of the sameelasticity at a cost of less than onefourth of the ordinary spring. Eachplate being separate I may drop into the box, as many as may be requiredfor bearing any required weight and giving any required strength.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is- The combination of the semi ellipticplate springs (a, a, (5,) and (b, b) as arranged with the box C pressblock D, and connecting rod E, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose herein fully set forth.

A. M. DE HART.

Witnesses:

C. M. ALEXANDER, JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD.

